HEMET: Store owners accused of obstruction, conspiracy

Jeff Rahman oversees operations at the El Toro Market at Seventh and State streets in San Jacinto. The market seeks an upgraded liquor license that would allow it to sell hard liquor in addition to beer and wine.

Two brothers who own and operate a Hemet grocery store â" and who were engaged in developing other retail properties in the area â" are facing federal charges that include obstruction of justice, according to a statement released Tuesday, July 2 by government officials.

Jafar âJeffâ Rahman, 44, of San Jacinto, the general manager of the El Toro Market in the 300 block of State Street in Hemet, was arrested and taken into custody at the store Tuesday morning, the U.S. attorneyâs office said in a statement. His brother, Jalal âJimâ Rahman, 50, a Vista resident, has been charged and remains at large.

The case stems from a 2008 complaint that the Rahmans failed to pay overtime to workers at El Toro Market, but the criminal indictment accused the brothers of making false statements following the resolution of the overtime investigation. The case includes allegations of obstructing justice by trying to coerce employees to lie to a grand jury.

The overtime case, which was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, found that El Toro Market violated labor laws by failing to pay overtime to 13 current and former workers. The probe, concluded in March 2008, concluded that the Rahmans owed those workers $47,155 in unpaid overtime.

The criminal indictment alleges that in the fall of 2008, the Rahmans forced the employees to sign paperwork indicating that they received their back pay, which they never had received. Jeff Rahman allegedly sent documents to the Labor Department with false statements asserting that the employees had received their overtime pay.

A grand jury began considering the case in the summer of 2012, and Jeff Rahman allegedly paid off or attempted to pay off employees to get them to lie to the grand jury, according to the indictment. He also allegedly threatened a current worker with the loss of his job if the employee insisted he had never received his back wages.

The indictment charges both Rahmans with one count of conspiracy, eight counts of making false statements and eight counts of obstruction of proceedings. Each count carries a statutory prison term of five years. Also, Jeff Rahman faces four counts of obstruction of justice, each with a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Jeff Rahman was arraigned in federal court in Riverside late Tuesday afternoon, Joseph Widman, assistant U.S. Attorney, said in an interview. He was releasedÂ on $250,000 bail and an Aug. 6 trial date before Judge Jesus Bernal was set.

The brothers own several commercial properties in the Hemet and San Jacinto area, and last year Jeff Rahman attempted to open a banquet hall in San Jacinto. His plan was approved by the planning commission but ultimately was denied by the City Council, said Tim Hults, the city manager.

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